First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

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mschs
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First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by mschs »

Hi!
I will have a couple of weeks free in june and I'd like to do a bit of cycling but also have some relaxing holidays - I'm probably aiming at around 3 hours of cycling a day and then spending time on the beach/visiting/walking around.
So it would need to be an interesting area with relatively short distances between spots where I can stop, ideally I could get to the sea (but that is not a priority). It would have to be a rather easy ride as it's my first tour, and relatively safe for a solo female (though we all have different notions of what safe is). I am probably going to camp on campsites, I also like the idea of wild camping though I'm not feeling completely relaxed about it.
So far, I have these ideas:
- Portugal. My first choice, but I've read that it can be unbearably hot in the summer, don't know true it is in June. I don't tolerate heat very well so I guess I should keep it for another time.
- Scandinavia. Don't know too much about it except that it's very beautiful and the weather is nice in the summer.
- Eastern Europe - been hearing about Slovenia and Montenegro for ages and these are definitely places I need to visit soon. Maybe also Albania or Romania? If you had to pick a place, which one would it be?
- Provence, but I am from France and I'd rather do something completely new this time.
Any advice or recommendations I haven't thought of?
Thanks!
Last edited by mschs on 11 Mar 2015, 9:20am, edited 1 time in total.
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foxyrider
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by foxyrider »

Denmark or much cheaper with current exchasnge rates, the German Ostseekuste.
Convention? what's that then?
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eileithyia
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by eileithyia »

For June i would certainly head more northern parts of Europe, Denmark, Norway, Sweden? What about Southern Ireland... a beautiful country....
I have solo toured thru Europe and as a lone female have felt more threatened on my commute to work by a group youths than i ever had lone touring...
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
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Sweep
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by Sweep »

Sardinia.

Yes it would be kinda warmish (check online) but not too bad (july and august definitely best avoided) and since you only intend to cycle for a short time each day no great problem.

Beaches beautiful.

June isn't peak season and since the locals can be a fussy/wimpy lot if the day is less than perfect you may have some beaches to yourself.

Strictly, free camping is illegal but i don't think you would have great problems if you were sensible.

Lots of water available for cyclists - town/village taps and fountains, most countryside churches have a tap around.

Nice supply of other cyclists requisites - wine, beer, coffee, pizza.

If you go to cagliari, pm me and i can recommend a nice small semi invisible cantina -wondrous 15 per cent canonnau tapped into a plastic bottle for about 2.5 euros.

Check out easyjet flights to cagliari.

Ryanair i think still fly to alghero though i much prefer easyjet.

Sardinia is beautiful.
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iviehoff
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by iviehoff »

I think beaches in N Europe are likely still to be cold in early June. I've had very cold beach holidays in early June in, er, England and Wales, and Denmark won't be warmer.

Most cyclists who enjoy cycling Portugal enjoy cycling in the E and N well away from beaches, and this is generally hilly to mountainous cycling. The coastal strip in the N half of the country is very busy and densely populated, and the cyclist does best to avoid it by the Porto region suburban trains which take bikes without fuss. The Algarve isn't great cycling either. However the W-facing coast in the S half of the country is an option, though of course Lisbon-Setubal area has to be got past, perhaps using suburban trains there also. I have been in Portugal in June and it ought to be pleasant, but it can also be hot and we suffered the latter. But the W coast has a climate well moderated by the Atlantic and the heatwaves mostly affect the interior.

Sardinia is lovely but extensive parts of the island are mountainous with a lot of very tough cycling, and long distances between accommodation. A lot of lovely beaches on the E coast are accessed by enormous steep climbs. The famous beachy area of the NE is exceedingly upmarket, and a lot of beaches are private. Maybe there are pleasant more modestly beachy areas around Oristano in the W without too many hills but I don't know much about that - there is a broad corridor of lower land between Cagliari and Oristano, but it is not the interesting part of Sardinia. I think there may be some less steep beachy areas in the SE close to Cagliari and perhaps in the SW too, but I don't know about that either. Would require some careful research to devise routes that avoided long hard days.

I would imagine much of the S half of the Atlantic coast of France, would do you. The beaches of Poitou seem to be nice (eg around La Rochelle) and the interior is only gently undulating. There are many beach resorts in the far SW of France, but the extensive flat sandy pine forests of the Landes area might be a bit tedious for cycling. In N Spain you'll get more rain than in SW France, and there is only a rather narrow strip of land below the mountains behind them, so it can be difficult avoiding busy roads in that strip, though there are minor avoiding roads in places. But many cyclists enjoy this area, and June, before the peak holiday season, is probably a good compromise time to go.
hamster
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by hamster »

Some thoughts:
1 Danube through Germany and Austria - very relaxed and through some beautiful cities and scenery.
2 Italy: Pisa, Florence, Siena, Cinque Terre, Tuscany.
3 France: Poitou as suggested, Brittany before the tourists get there.
4 Spain: Andalucia...Granada-Cordoba-Seville
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BeeKeeper
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by BeeKeeper »

I think the west coast of Portugal would be quite nice in June. Typical average maximums in June in the Algarve are around 28C and it will be cooler against the Atlantic further west and north, but can be windy at times here.

Faro to Lisbon is about 300 km, which I think would fit in with your relaxed style (which I like!) and you should be able to fly to and from these places if that is your plan. However, I haven't done any detailed planning and there are some less populated bits to travel through where you will want to find somewhere to stay. But Portugal is not expensive. I find the language very difficult but you can get by everywhere with a smile.
The picture below was taken last October near Lagos in south west Portugal. It rained a lot but it was warm and the beaches were excellent.
Image
mschs
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by mschs »

Thank you for your answers/suggestions!
I've decided (well, at least for now, I tend to change my mind all the time) to go to Portugal and cycle in the coolest parts of the day. Camping seems to be quite easy there and I don't mind trying a bit of cycling in the hills/mountains to see if I like it or not - good for planning future itineraries.
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BeeKeeper
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by BeeKeeper »

I am sure you will enjoy it. As an alternative to my first suggestion you could do a circular tour from Faro. Lots of English spoken on the coastal parts of the Algarve, but less so inland I guess.
mschs
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by mschs »

I was actually intending to spend a few days in Lisbon (obviously I would start away from the city). Not sure yet if I should do a circular tour (seems easier as I can leave some stuff/the bike box somewhere) or an arguably more interesting Lisbon-Faro itinerary...
By the way does anyone know of any nice lakes/rivers in the area? I wouldn't mind skipping the beach if there are some nicer/quieter spots...
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BeeKeeper
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by BeeKeeper »

You can use a ferry to cross the river from Lisbon and then a short ride to the Parque Natural da Arrabida, which is one of Portugal's loveliest parks. It only rises to 500m so not too hilly and the coast has lots of little coves or bays. There is also a ferry from Setubal which takes you into Northern Alentejo which has wall to wall beaches.
You may have to reverse your steps to return, though with careful planning you should be able to do a circular ride back to Lisbon, getting the ferry from Montis perhaps, but there are a lot of motorways and busy roads to stay clear of.

I will be in Northern Portugal in May - will let you know what the weather is like!
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smith4188
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by smith4188 »

Regarding eastern Europe, Montenegro is amazing, especially the Piva Gorge. I've heard great things about the coast too. I also loved Bosnia. Romania had busy main roads or dirt tracks and not much else. Slovenia is also very pretty especially in the Julian Alps. And though only Montenegro of those countries uses the currently cheap euro, the other countries are even cheaper. Happy cycling!
http://www.EuropeByBicycle.com - Country-by-country touring info for 54 European nations and disputed regions
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MrsHJ
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by MrsHJ »

Portugal is one of my favourite countries to cycle. Gorgeous, we did Lisbon to Santander in late May/ early June and had a big mix of weather from over hot to cool and overcast and then snow in the mountains! ( we sheltered in a shepherds hut with the shepherds and there were real hams hanging from the ceiling). Fabulous border forts too along the spanish border (Almeida). Gorgeous roses along the Tagus with little white towns and then in the back country valleys around places like Castelo Branco full of wild flowers.

If campsites are closed little hotels in the small towns are cheap and clean except for a dodgy workers hostel high up in the Douro valley that I'd rather forget (Mogodouro). I'd like to go back and make it to Braganza as my companion thought it would be too mountainous getting there.

Ps cycling from Lisbon airport is ok. I went back last year and would still assess it as doable.
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by bretonbikes »

mschs wrote:I was actually intending to spend a few days in Lisbon (obviously I would start away from the city). Not sure yet if I should do a circular tour (seems easier as I can leave some stuff/the bike box somewhere) or an arguably more interesting Lisbon-Faro itinerary...
By the way does anyone know of any nice lakes/rivers in the area? I wouldn't mind skipping the beach if there are some nicer/quieter spots...


Lisbon is fabulous - has the feel of a very large village sometimes! adn cycling there would be fine. One word of warning (not to try and put you off) - pick-pockets in the centre and tourist areas are absolutely endemic, shameless and the authorities uninterested. No danger of being mugged or anything nasty - just that expect there to be a hand in your pocket/bag at some time and protect valuables accordingly.
38 years of cycletouring, 33 years of running cycling holidays, 8 years of running a campsite for cyclists - there's a pattern here...
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Re: First two weeks tour in Europe in June: where?

Post by wirral_cyclist »

bretonbikes wrote:Lisbon is fabulous - has the feel of a very large village sometimes! adn cycling there would be fine. One word of warning (not to try and put you off) - pick-pockets in the centre and tourist areas are absolutely endemic, shameless and the authorities uninterested. No danger of being mugged or anything nasty - just that expect there to be a hand in your pocket/bag at some time and protect valuables accordingly.


And if someone on a bus or train warns of pickpockets don't immediately reach and check that your valuables are OK - let the theives work out for themselves where to dip!
Also use a lanyard on a camera or phone to dissuade a snatch.
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